You cannot fix this in a week or a month, but you can complete a pilot project, a limited task with a specific goal. Examples? How about a three-generation pedigree chart with attached photos? A biographical sketch of a great-grandparent? A digital scrapbook showing a family group sheet, timelines, and, say, the 10 most significant documents for your grandparents? Suggestions for additional genealogy pilot projects most welcome here. I would love to accumulate a list of 50 or more.

When you begin a pilot project, focus on and organize only those items needed for the project. Everything else goes in the to-be-arranged file. Then do the project (if it takes longer than a month, it’s too large to be a pilot project), and — voilá — create a book, Power Point show, article, or chart. Your children and grandchildren will save this (nobody throws this stuff away) and even read it (because it is short enough). In doing the pilot project, you will teach yourself techniques needed to do the larger project you always envisioned (like organizing all of your genealogy information).

Of course, this works in Real Life, as well. Complete a small, dip-your-toes-in-the-water project in the direction of any goal. Keep What Works, discard the rest, and expand on the pilot project.